On 15 October 2012, Jimmy Barber
and Timothy Salisbury assisted at a ‘Careers Diversity Student Event’ hosted by
the Bar Council, Law Society and Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. The
event, held at the Law Society on Chancery Lane, was aimed at encouraging GCSE
students from comprehensive schools across London to consider a career in law,
and to enable the students to meet practising lawyers and receive some
practical advice on how to train or qualify.
The day began with an interactive
quiz for the students on the role of law in society. The students were then
divided into small groups with practising barristers and solicitors to discuss
issues related to the topic of voting rights for prisoners. Guided by the
lawyers, the students made short presentations on the role of the prison within
the criminal justice system, the role of the European Court of Human Rights and
domestic law on the issue, and the UK’s response tof the decision in Hirst v United Kingdom (No 2) [2005]
ECHR 681.
During the afternoon session, the
students heard presentations from a panel of legal professionals: a barrister,
a solicitor, legal executive, a barrister’s clerk, a legal secretary and a
circuit judge. The speakers gave personal accounts of their routes into their
jobs, some of which were more roundabout than others, and their roles and
responsibilities. There was then an opportunity for the students to ask
questions of the panellists, and it became clear that there were a substantial
number of aspiring barristers and judges in the audience!
Following the career
presentations, Jimmy and Timothy took part in a mock trial presided over by Her
Honour Judge Ruth Downing. In addition to ensuring the trial ran smoothly, HHJ
Downing explained the various stages to the students to assist their
understanding. Jimmy acted as counsel for the defendant and Timothy gave
evidence first as a witness to the incident and then as an officer of the Road
Death Investigation Unit. The students were then asked to act as jury and
return a verdict: despite Jimmy’s best efforts, they found the defendant guilty
by a majority.
The day concluded with a talk
from Baroness Scotland QC about her own career path, which included her being
the first black female to be appointed Queen’s Counsel and then becoming the
first female Attorney General. In referring to her own humble background as the
tenth of twelve children of immigrant parents, she encouraged the audience not
to limit their aspirations, and to appreciate that with the right degree of
determination and application, any one of them could pursue a successful career
in the law.
4 King’s Bench Walk believes that
events such as this help towards widening access to the Bar by giving ambitious
young people from non-traditional backgrounds an insight into the steps required
to enter the legal profession.